A Study Of The Effects Of L1 Reading Ability On English Reading In A Chinese EFL Context

As an important component of second language (L2) learning and teaching, reading has drawn great attention from L2 teachers and language researchers. The relationship between first language (L1) reading and L2 reading has been discussed under the framework of two hypotheses:linguistic interdependence hypothesis (or reading universal hypothesis) and the linguistic threshold hypothesis (or short-circuit hypothesis).Linguistic interdependence hypothesis states that reading is universal in nature and L1 reading ability transfers to L2 reading automatically. Linguistic threshold hypothesis contends that the reader has to reach a threshold of L2 language proficiency in order to transfer his or her reading ability effectively from the L1 to the L2; otherwise, insufficient knowledge of L2 would "short-circuit" the reader's reading system.A series of studies have already confirmed the transfer of reading ability, and by the same time lent support to the existence of "threshold effect". But most previous studies were conducted between alphabetic or cognate languages. Studies on reading English as a second/foreign language have been conducted using subjects whose native language is a cognate of English, or immigrants who are learning English in English-speaking countries. Therefore, whether the previous conclusions applicable to the Chinese EFL learning context or not is, yet still unsettling.This thesis, based on the above-mentioned two hypotheses, namely, linguistic interdependence hypothesis and linguistic threshold hypothesis, explores the L1 reading effects on L2 reading (used in this thesis interchangeably with foreign language reading) by testing three variables, i.e. English reading (ER), Chinese reading (CR), and English proficiency (EP) in Chinese EFL context. Three different tests are employed to represent these three variables respectively and the relationships between the three variables are tested out through correlations and multiple regressions. Analyses from both Pearson correlation coefficients and multiple regressions show significant positive relationship exist not only between Chinese reading and English reading but also between English proficiency and English reading. Therefore, it is sided view to assert a definite "yes" or "no" to Alderson's question "is L2 reading a language problem or a reading problem". The only tentative conclusion is that L2 reading is not only a language problem but also a reading problem. For the Chinese EFL learners, on the whole, English reading is more like a language problem.A "threshold effect" in L2 reading is further confirmed. For the high proficiency group (HiL2), whereas Chinese reading emerged as a significant predictor, English proficiency did not. In contrast to the HiL2 participants, however, for the low proficiency group (LoL2), English proficiency appeared to be a significant predictor, whereas Chinese reading did not. L1 reading is more strongly related to L2 reading among learners with higher L2 proficiency than it is among those with lower L2 proficiency. Therefore, a high level of L2 knowledge is required for there to be a strong and significant relationship between L1 and L2 reading abilities.Therefore, it is not wise to only attach importance to L1 reading ability or L2 proficiency in L2 reading instruction. For learners whose language proficiency is lower than linguistic threshold, the teaching of L2 reading should give importance to the improvement of L2 proficiency. For learners whose language proficiency is higher than linguistic threshold, teachers should encourage learners to make active and conscious use of reading skills and strategies already gained in L1 reading practice. Teaching of L2 reading should be based on the readers'L2 proficiency level while at the same time the significance of L1 reading ability is, by no sense, to be ignored.